No fuss, no slogans: Herefordshire's Brook Farm is turning a carbon plan into trees on the ground. In a Forestry Commission case study published on 28 November 2025, FW Thorpe PLC outlines a 146‑acre woodland creation scheme backed by the England Woodland Creation Offer.

The project will see 124,400 mixed broadleaf and conifer trees planted. The design builds in public access, measures to help reduce flooding, a future timber supply and space for nature to recover - benefits with real‑world value beyond carbon accounting.

If you're weighing up a similar move, EWCO is the national grant run by the Forestry Commission to support new woodland. It backs well‑designed schemes and provides support where projects bring wider public benefits such as access and water management.

Why cover a Herefordshire farm in a northern title? Because boards from Sunderland to Stockport keep asking for working examples outside London. This one is practical: mixed species for resilience, public welcome baked in, and a plan that sits alongside cutting emissions at source.

For FW Thorpe, the woodland is one strand of a wider carbon strategy, not a badge. That clarity matters for any northern manufacturer thinking about credible net zero plans over the next decade. The case study frames the planting as part of the company’s carbon strategy.

Community buy‑in isn't a nice‑to‑have. Public paths and a welcome sign can calm nerves with neighbours and planners. Opening gates, not just planting trees, is how you keep projects popular for the long haul.

Flood risk keeps many of our towns on edge each winter. Well‑sited woodland slows water and protects soils; a mixed design builds habitat and future timber income to help fund care rather than relying on grants forever.

Planting is day one; care lasts years. EWCO agreements require owners to replace failed trees, keep vegetation and browsing in check, and remove guards by year 15 - so maintenance budgets and local contractors need lining up early.

Thinking of copying it? Start with a walk of the land, map paths and watercourses, speak with the parish or town council, then contact your local Forestry Commission adviser to discuss species and an application.